1. Technical Field
This document relates to methods and materials involved in detecting premalignant and malignant neoplasms (e.g., colorectal and pancreatic cancer).
2. Background Information
About half of all cancer deaths in the United States result from aero-digestive cancer. For example, of the estimated annual cancer deaths, about 25 percent result from lung cancer; about 10 percent result from colorectal cancer; about 6 percent result from pancreas cancer; about 3 percent result from stomach cancer; and about 3 percent result from esophagus cancer. In addition, over 7 percent of the annual cancer deaths result from other acro-digestive cancers such as naso-oro-pharyngeal, bile duct, gall bladder, and small bowel cancers.